Wiper and product dispenser including said wiper

ABSTRACT

The wiper ( 1 ) intended to engage with a neck of a container intended to contain a fluid or paste cosmetic product includes a body ( 2 ) intended to be anchored to the neck, and a wiping element ( 3 ) anchored to the body ( 2 ). The wiping element ( 3 ) includes a resilient wall ( 4 ) which anchors the wiping element ( 3 ) to the body ( 2 ), the resilient wall ( 4 ) being able to distort when the applicator passes through, and to resume its so-called at rest shape after it has passed. The wiping element ( 3 ) includes a plurality of N typically vertical radial tongues ( 5 ) independent of each other, with N typically being between 4 and 20, typically integral with a peripheral skirt ( 6 ) of the wiping element ( 3 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of the packaging of fluid or paste cosmetic products. It relates more particularly to dispensers, such as bottles of mascara, which include a container closed by a cap fitted with an applicator.

THE PRIOR ART

Containers such as bottles of mascara are fitted with a wiper anchored to the neck of said container.

The wiper constitutes a fundamental component of the dispenser and its essential functions are absolutely critical to the proper operation of the dispenser that forms a tank.

Indeed, the wiper may form a seal for the dispenser so as to avoid any leakage and loss of cosmetic product, and to avoid any drying of the cosmetic product due to the evaporation of its liquid and volatile components.

The first function of the wiper is to control the quantity of product remaining on the applicator after extraction of the latter: the quantity is appropriately dosed through the diameter of the orifice of the wiper. It is important for the applicator to carry only a pre-set quantity of cosmetic product in order to obtain the desired effect, typically a make-up effect.

The wiper is typically fitted to the neck of the body forming a container or bottle for the product to be packaged.

To obtain the requisite tightness, the material forming the wiper must be able to be distorted when the dispenser is closed, a part of the wiper forming a seal able to be compressed between the neck and the cap, which both constitute rigid parts.

Numerous dispensers are already known, typically mascara dispensers, which include a wiper, this wiper being additionally able to fulfil a tightness function in respect of the tank.

These wipers include a tubular skirt having an external diameter close to slightly less than the internal diameter of said neck Di, in such a way that said wiper is able to be placed in said neck. Said tubular skirt includes or forms a restricted internal part of reduced diameter intended to do the actual wiping.

In order to anchor said wiper to said neck, said wiper includes on the one hand an upper collar, of diameter greater than Di and coming typically to an axial stop against all or part of the lip or of a shoulder of said neck, so as to form an upper axial stop so that said wiper is in a stable and fixed position relative to said neck and that it is not able to penetrate inside said neck, and on the other hand, an additional anchoring means for the purpose of ensuring that said wiper, once snapped into said neck, is not drawn outwards and separated from said neck by an axial displacement, particularly when the applicator is extracted from the container.

This anchoring means may form a lower stop finding support on the lower end of the neck, and particularly on its flared part or shoulder of diameter greater than Di, as can be seen in the patents FR 2 826 246 in accordance with all the FIGS. 1A to 5 b, FR 2 504 788 in accordance with all the FIGS. 1 to 6, DE 296 13 996 U1 in accordance with all the FIGS. 1 to 3 c, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,634 in accordance with all the FIGS. 1 to 8, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,791 in accordance with its FIGS. 1 to 10, GB2 063 823 in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2.

This anchoring means may also be formed by engagement of concave portions or annular grooves with raised portions or annular ribs, the concave or raised portions carried by the inner surface of said neck engaging respectively with the raised or concave portions carried by the outer surface of said tubular skirt, as can be seen in the patents FR 2 668 903 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 4, FR 2 562 773 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 8, GB 1 545 627 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, GB 2 312 617 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,631 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,389 in accordance with its FIGS. 1 to 4, U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,584 in accordance with FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,254 in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 11.

This anchoring means may also be formed by forcible fitting, the wiper being made of a resilient material, as disclosed in the patent GB 2 063 823 in accordance with FIG. 4.

Problems Posed

Wipers known to the prior art are typically adapted for the purpose of wiping a conventional mascara brush.

This conventional brush includes a twist of metal wire which anchors a plurality of bristles in a helix formed by said twist.

However, conventional brushes encounter problems of several kinds:

-   -   on the one hand, the technique of manufacturing these brushes         imposes its own constraints and therefore leads to brushes all         of a similar type. Although a great variety of conventional         brushes are accessible by varying particularly the nature and/or         the quantity of the bristles, this variety lies in a relatively         narrow field, such that mascara formulae have to be adapted to         existing brushes. In fact there is always a demand for new         mascara formulae whose application is not necessarily optimum         with conventional brushes.     -   on the other hand, there is an on-going need to provide         applicators which are not just applicators, but which bring new         functions or improve the functions of conventional brushes.

Hence the appearance of new brushes and new applicators, particularly applicators without a plurality of bristles.

It is important therefore to have wipers which are adapted to the new brushes or new applicators without a plurality of bristles, and which are possibly adapted to the generally axially symmetric conventional brushes, the development of new wipers being bound to bring about in its turn the development of new applicators.

These changes to the brushes or applicators and to the wipers relate to both technical aspects, in order for example to obtain new make-up effects, economic aspects typically to manufacture the applicators at less cost, but they also relate to the on-going need, in the field of cosmetic products in particular, to renew the products on offer to users.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the wiper intended to engage with a neck of a container intended to contain a fluid or paste cosmetic product, typically a mascara, includes a typically annular body intended to be anchored to said neck, said body and said neck having one and the same axial direction, and a wiping means anchored to said body, said wiping means being intended to engage with said applicator, each time the applicator passes through, particularly each time an applicator-device fitted with an applicator, typically a brush, is withdrawn and separated from said container, so as to restrict, to a pre-set level, the quantity of said cosmetic product taken out, and is characterised in that:

-   -   a) said wiping means includes a resilient wall which anchors         said wiping means to said body, said resilient wall being able         to distort when said applicator passes through, and to resume         its so-called at rest shape after it has passed,     -   b) said wiping means includes a plurality of N typically         vertical radial tongues independent of each other, with N         typically being between 4 and 20, typically integral with a         peripheral skirt of said wiping means.

This combination of means resolves the problems posed.

Indeed, through the presence of a plurality of radial tongues associated with the presence of a resilient wall, wipers according to the invention offer a radically different design from that of prior art wipers, based essentially on a tubular skirt including a restricted internal part of reduced diameter intended to do the actual wiping.

Owing to the presence of a plurality of independent radial tongues, the brushes or applicators are no longer limited to a typically axially symmetric form. Indeed, in this plurality of tongues, the tongues are rendered mobile when said applicator or said brush passes through, particularly owing to the presence of a resilient wall, with the result that, potentially, any type of applicator or brush is able to be wrung with a wiper according to the invention, as can be seen below in the remainder of the description and in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

All the figures relate to wipers according to the invention.

FIG. 1 a is an axial cross-section of a wiper (1) along said axial direction (10).

FIG. 1 b is a perspective view of the wiper (1) in FIG. 1 a.

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show a form of wiper (1).

FIG. 2 a is similar to FIG. 1 a. The internal profile (71) of the wiping means (3) including a plurality of vertical tongues (7) has been shown in dotted lines on the right-hand part of the figure.

FIG. 2 b is a cross-section in a horizontal plane (13) along A-A of the wiping means (3) in FIG. 2 a, including a plurality of 16 vertical tongues (7) including between them a radial channel (70).

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, similar to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, show another form of wiper (1).

In this form, said plurality of tongues includes 8 tongues (7) which form channels (70) wider than those in FIG. 2 b.

The vertical tongues (7) include, typically halfway up the edge (75) of the tongue (7) platelets (74), a right-hand platelet (74′) and a left hand platelet (74″).

FIG. 3 c is a front perspective view of a tongue (7) in FIG. 3 b.

FIG. 3 d is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 b surrounded by dotted lines.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, similar to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, show another form of wiper (1).

In this form, as shown in FIG. 4 c similar to FIG. 3 d, each tongue (7) only includes a left hand platelet (74″) of which the base (743) extends over the totality of the width of the base (76) of the radial channel (70).

FIGS. 5 a to 5 d show the entry of a brush (8) of an applicator into the wiper (1). Each figure includes a left-hand part corresponding to a left-hand axial half section of the wiper, whose resilient wall (3) and the wiping means (4) including the vertical tongue (7) are distorted by the passing of an applicator brush (8) symbolised by a right-hand segment, and a right-hand part which is a diagram carrying as the y-coordinate the central diameter of the wiper as a function of the axial displacement Z of the brush.

FIG. 5 a corresponds to the start of the entry of the brush (8), the brush (8) engaging with the flared upper part (710) of the wiper (1), FIG. 5 b corresponding to the immediate follow-up to FIG. 5 a.

FIG. 5 c corresponds to the maximum opening of the wiper by the brush, with a diameter D1.

FIG. 5 d corresponds to the return to the point of departure: the brush has passed and no longer exerts any radial constraint on the wiper.

FIGS. 6 a to 6 d correspond to the reverse path and show the exit of the applicator brush (8).

FIG. 6 a corresponds to the start of the exit of the brush.

FIGS. 6 b and 6 c show the tilting of the tongue (7) and its locking by said body (2), the radial edge (300) of the upper part (30) coming to a stop against the internal wall of said body (2), so as to limit the opening of the wiper to a diameter D2<<D1, so as to have a wiping effect that is sufficient and adapted to the purpose required.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, and as shown in FIG. 1 a, said resilient wall (4) may include a thinned part (40) able to form a hinge for tilting said wiping means (3) relative to said body (2).

Said resilient wall (4), via its upper end (42), may be integral with said wiping means (3) in its upper part (13), and, via its lower end (43, is integral with said body (2) in its lower part (21).

Said resilient wall (4) may include a central part forming a cylindrical portion (41) centred along said axial direction (10), said cylindrical portion (41) being separated from said body (2) by an external annular channel (11) and being separated from said radial tongues (5) by an internal annular channel (12).

Said external annular channel (11) may form an upturned annular trough of radial thickness Ee between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, and said internal annular channel (12) may form a down-turned annular trough of radial thickness Ei between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, as shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 1 a.

According to the invention said N radial tongues (5) may typically be identical and spaced out angularly around said axial direction (10) by an angle equal to 360°/N, with N preferably being between 6 and 18, so as to form a plurality of radial channels, two adjacent radial tongues forming between them a radial channel.

As shown in FIGS. 2 a to 4 c, said radial tongue (5) may be a vertical tongue (7), and said radial channel may be a vertical channel (70).

Said vertical tongue (7) may have a central edge (75) contained in a vertical plane containing said axial direction (10). In this case, all the tongues are orientated towards said axial direction (10) which corresponds to the axis of symmetry of revolution of said body (2) or said peripheral skirt (6) of the wiping means (3).

However, said vertical tongue (7) may have a central edge (75) contained in a vertical plane located at a constant distance d from said axial direction (10).

This form has not been shown in a figure.

Typically, as shown in FIGS. 2 b, 3 c and 3 d, said vertical tongue (7) may have, in a horizontal plane (13) perpendicular to said axial direction (10), a section in the form of an angular sector with an apex angle α between 0.9×360°/N and 1.1×360°/N, said vertical tongue (7) including two vertical faces (73) forming a dihedral angle with apex angle α.

As shown in FIG. 2 a, said wiping means, forming a plurality of vertical tongues (7), may have an internal envelope volume, delimited by the internal profile (71) of said tongues, typically including, from top to bottom:

-   -   a) a flared upper part (710), opening upwards and typically like         a truncated cone, with a maximum diameter Dh     -   b) a central part (711), typically cylindrical, with a diameter         Dc     -   c) a flared lower part (712) opening downwards, including a         cylindrical lower end (713), with a diameter Db.

The diameter Dc may be between 3 mm and 6 mm with Dh/Dc between 1.2 and 3.5 and Db/Dc between 1.2 and 3.5.

Said vertical tongues (7) may have a height H_(L) between 2 mm and 10 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 1 a to 3 b, said plurality of vertical tongues (7) may be integral with said typically cylindrical peripheral skirt (6), each vertical tongue (7) being integral by its base (72) with said peripheral skirt (6), said peripheral skirt (6) limiting, at their periphery, said radial channels (70).

As shown in FIGS. 3 c, 3 d, and 4 c, the totality or a fraction of said vertical tongues (7) may include, typically on each of its two vertical faces (73), and over a small part of its height H_(L), typically over a height between 0.1 H_(L) and 0.2 H_(L) a lateral projection forming an additional wiping platelet (74).

Said additional wiping platelet (74) may have a horizontal profile widening as it moves away from said axial direction, in such a way that said radial channel (70), included between two vertical tongues gets gradually smaller, said radial channel (70) being considered at the level of said wiping platelet (74).

As shown in FIG. 3 c, said wiping platelet (74) may have a typically horizontal lower surface (740) and an inclined upper surface (741), said lower and upper surfaces connecting through a wiping edge (742), in such a way that said lower surface (740) participates in said wiping when said applicator is withdrawn from said container, and in such a way that said upper face (741) facilitates the return of said applicator into said container.

As shown in FIG. 3 d, each vertical tongue (7) may have a wiping platelet (74) on each of its right-hand and left-hand vertical faces (73), said wiping platelets (74) being typically at the same height, a so-called right-hand wiping platelet (74′) on said right-hand face and a left-hand platelet (74″) on said left-hand surface, said right-hand wiping platelet (74′) of a vertical tongue and said left-hand wiping platelet (74″) of the next vertical tongue meeting typically at their radial end (743) at the bottom of the radial channel (70).

As shown in FIG. 4 b, one vertical tongue (7) in two, alternately, may have a wiping platelet (74) on each of its right-hand and left-hand faces (73), said wiping platelets (74) being typically at the same height, a so-called right-hand platelet (74′) on said right-hand face and a so-called left-hand wiping platelet (74″) on said left-hand surface, said right-hand platelet and said left-hand platelet of said vertical tongue typically meeting, at their radial end (743) at the bottom of the radial channel (70), the adjacent vertical tongues (7) without said wiping platelet (74).

Likewise, it is possible to have a wiper in which each vertical tongue (7) includes a single right-hand (74′) or left-hand (74″) wiping platelet, such as the one shown in FIG. 4 c.

Another subject of the invention is constituted by a container fitted with a wiper according to the invention.

Another subject of the invention is constituted by a mascara dispenser including a container fitted with a wiper according to the invention.

Embodiment Examples

All the figures constitute examples of embodiments of wipers (1) according to the invention.

The operation of these wipers (1) has been clearly explained in FIGS. 5 a to 6 d.

In these figures can be seen the great difference in behaviour of the plurality of tongues (7) when the applicator brush (8) is inserted into the container (FIGS. 5 a to 5 d) and when, the brush (8) being extracted from the container, the wiper (1) has to fulfil its function (FIGS. 6 a to 6 d).

Indeed, wipers (1) according to the invention allow considerable distortion and a large diameter when the brush penetrates into the wiper and passes through its central part, whereas+ there is a tilting and a locking of said plurality of fins, as shown in FIGS. 6 b and 6 c, when the brush passes in the reverse direction through the wiper, the wiper then fulfilling its function.

The precise geometry of the different parts of the wiper (1) according to the invention make it possible to advantage to make very fine adjustments to the level of the wiping, as a function particularly of the brushes and to the formulae, typically for mascara, to be taken by the brushes.

Wipers according to the invention additionally have the great advantage of being able to be adapted to any type of brush or applicator, even an unconventional one. LIST OF IDENTIFIERS Wiper  1 Axial direction  10 External annular channel  11 Annular trough 110 Internal annular channel  12 Annular trough 120 Horizontal plane  13 Upper horizontal plane  13′ Lower horizontal plane  13″ Body of 1  2 Upper part  20 Lower part  21 Wiping means of 1  3 Upper part  30 Radial edge of 30 300 Lower part  31 Resilient wall of 3  4 Thinned part  40 Cylindrical portion  41 Upper end  42 Lower end  43 Radial tongue of 3  5 Peripheral skirt of 3  6 Vertical tongue of 3  6 Radial channel  70 Internal profile of 7  71 Flared upper part 710 Cylindrical central portion 711 Flared lower part 712 Cylindrical lower end 713 Base of 7 integral with 6  72 Vertical face of 7  73 Lateral projection = wiping platelet  74 Right-hand platelet  74′ Left-hand platelet  74″ Lower surface 740 Upper surface 741 Wiping edge 742 Radial end 743 Central edge  75 Base of 70 at the level of 6  76 Brush of an applicator  8 

1. Wiper (1) intended to engage with a neck of a container intended to contain a fluid or paste cosmetic product, typically a mascara, including a typically annular body (2) intended to be anchored to said neck, said body (2) and said neck having one and the same axial direction (10), and a wiping means (3) anchored to said body (2), said wiping means (3) being intended to engage with said applicator, each time the applicator passes through, particularly each time an applicator-device fitted with an applicator, typically a brush, is withdrawn and separated from said container, so as to restrict, to a pre-set level, the quantity of said cosmetic product taken out, and is characterised in that: a) said wiping means (3) includes a resilient wall (4) which anchors said wiping means (3) to said body (2), said resilient wall (4) being able to distort when said applicator passes, and to resume its so-called at rest shape after it has passed, b) said wiping means (3) includes a plurality of N typically vertical radial tongues (5) independent of each other, with N typically being between 4 and 20, typically integral with a peripheral skirt (6) of said wiping means (3).
 2. Wiper according to claim 1 wherein said resilient wall (4) includes a thinned part (40) able to form a hinge for tilting said wiping means (3) relative to said body (2).
 3. Wiper according to claim 1 wherein said resilient wall (4), via its upper end (42), is integral with said wiping means (3) in its upper part (30), and, via its lower end (43), is integral with said body (2) in its lower part (21).
 4. Wiper according to claim 1 wherein said resilient wall (4) includes a central part forming a cylindrical portion (41) centred along said axial direction (10), said cylindrical portion (41) being separated from said body (2) by an external annular channel (11) and being separated from said radial tongues (5) by an internal annular channel (12).
 5. Wiper according to claim 4 wherein said external annular channel (11) forms an upturned annular trough of radial thickness Ee between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, and wherein said internal annular channel (12) forms a down-turned annular trough of radial thickness Ei between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.
 6. Wiper according to claim 1 wherein said N radial tongues (5) are typically identical and spaced out angularly around said axial direction (10) by an angle equal to 360° /N, with N preferably being between 6 and 18, so as to form a plurality of radial channels, two adjacent radial tongues forming between them a radial channel.
 7. Wiper according to claim 6 wherein said radial tongue (5) is a vertical tongue (7), and wherein said radial channel is a vertical channel (70).
 8. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein said vertical tongue (7) has a central edge (75) contained in a vertical plane containing said axial direction (10).
 9. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein said vertical tongue (7) has a central edge (75) contained in a vertical plane located at a constant distance d from said axial direction (10).
 10. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein said vertical tongue (7) has, in a horizontal plane (13) perpendicular to said axial direction (10), a section in the form of an angular sector with an apex angle α between 0.9×360°/N and 1.1×360°/N, said vertical tongue (7) including two vertical faces (73) forming a dihedral angle with apex angle α.
 11. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein said wiping means, forming a plurality of vertical tongues (7), has an internal envelope volume, delimited by the internal profile (71) of said tongues, typically including, from top to bottom: a) a flared upper part (710), opening upwards and typically like a truncated cone, with a maximum diameter Dh b) a central part (711), typically cylindrical, with a diameter Dc c) a flared lower part (712) opening downwards, including a cylindrical lower end (713), with a diameter Db.
 12. Wiper according to claim 11 wherein Dc is between 3 mm and 6 mm, with Dh/Dc between 1.2 and 3.5 and Db/Dc between 1.2 and 3.5.
 13. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein said vertical tongues (7) have a height H_(L) between 2 mm and 10 mm.
 14. Wiper according to claim 6 wherein said plurality of vertical tongues (7) is integral with said typically cylindrical peripheral skirt (6), each vertical tongue (7) being integral by its base (72) with said peripheral skirt (6), said peripheral skirt (6) limiting, at their periphery, said radial channels (70).
 15. Wiper according to claim 7 wherein the totality or a fraction of said vertical tongues (7) includes, typically on each of its two vertical faces (73), and over a small part of its height H_(L), typically over a height between 0.1.H_(L) and 0.2.H_(L) a lateral projection forming an additional wiping platelet (74).
 16. Wiper according to claim 15 wherein said additional wiping platelet (74) has a horizontal profile widening as it moves away from said axial direction, in such a way that said radial channel (70), included between two vertical tongues gets gradually smaller, said radial channel (70) being considered at the level of said wiping platelet (74).
 17. Wiper according to claim 15 wherein said wiping platelet (74) has a typically horizontal lower surface (740) and an inclined upper surface (741), said lower and upper surfaces connecting through a wiping edge (742), in such a way that said lower surface (740) participates in said wiping when said applicator is withdrawn from said container, and in such a way that said upper face (741) facilitates the return of said applicator into said container.
 18. Wiper according to claim 15 wherein each vertical tongue (7) has a wiping platelet (74) on each of its right-hand and left-hand vertical faces (73), said wiping platelets (74) being typically at the same height, a so-called right-hand wiping platelet (74′) on said right-hand face and a left-hand platelet (74″) on said left-hand surface, said right-hand wiping platelet (74′) of a vertical tongue and said left-hand wiping platelet (74″) of the next vertical tongue meeting typically at their radial end (743) at the bottom of the radial channel (70).
 19. Wiper according to claim 15 wherein one vertical tongue (7) in two, alternately, has a wiping platelet (74) on each of its right-hand and left-hand faces (73), said wiping platelets (74) being typically at the same height, a so-called right-hand platelet (74′) on said right-hand face and a so-called left-hand wiping platelet (74″) on said left-hand surface, said right-hand platelet and said left-hand platelet of said vertical tongue typically meeting, at their radial end (743) at the bottom of the radial channel (70), the adjacent vertical tongues (7) without said wiping platelet (74).
 20. Container fitted with a wiper according to claim
 1. 21. Mascara dispenser including a container according to claim
 20. 